Senator against Nigeria, China trade deals

Nigeria has no business signing deals with China for rails, when the tracks can be produced in the Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Company, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatisation, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, has said.

The Senator, who stated this yesterday in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, when he led the Senate and House of Representatives Joint Committee on Privatisation to Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Company, said such deals with the Asian giant makes no sense and shows lack of coordination.

He said the steel company, which was almost 90 per cent complete, but abandoned by previous governments, does not speak well of the country.

The present state of the steel complex, he said, has nothing to do with the present administration, as all past governments are guilty of the abandonment.

His words: “For 22 years they should have had a plan through the minister of national planning. The minister of national planning should be the one integrating the policies of any government in power at the particular time.

“When you go through the detailed presentation and listen to arguments it is difficult to draw conclusions when you don’t listen to the reasons why you are here in the first place.

“That is why it was important for all of us to listen to the arguments and understand the reason why. But let me say this, I am really touched by the presentation and the kind of leadership you have here. What is really clear to me is that the leadership of Ajaokuta Steel plant are very patriotic Nigerians because you must never sell your soul for money.

“First of all, you are a Nigerian, secondly you want to develop this beautiful country and create job opportunities for your people, and more importantly you want to create an environment where those of us in office will look back and say while I was there I did something for my people, but obviously this is not the case”.

He said the committee will meet with the minister of solid minerals and steel, Dr Kayode Fayemi, and on Thursday, hold a public hearing on the Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Company.